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She tasted good.
Cinnamon and spice.
The old fashioned I’d been sipping all night didn’t come close to comparing.
“You have fun out there,” I told her, still pecking at her lips, wanting to lap up every last drop of that sweetness.
Jud and Trent were too wrapped up in their girls to pay me any mind, but you could be damned certain the rest of my crew did. WhenCharleigh tore herself away, my eyes were hooked on her back as she joined the rest.
All the women linked their arms as they headed for the dance floor, Charleigh right in the middle as if she’d been a part of them forever.
My chest did that achy fucking thing. That pull of possession and the frantic desperation to keep her close.
My crew all settled back into the booth, and the server brought us another round of drinks.
Kane lifted his whiskey-filled tumbler, the cut glass glinting beneath the chandelier hanging from above the table. His gaze jumped between all of us before he started to speak, his voice just loud enough that only we could hear.
“Fuckin’ glad to see each of you here tonight. It’s been a long road for all of us, and the fact that we’re all still here is a testament to our loyalty and devotion. Trent and Jud may not have Sovereign Sanctum tattooed on the back of their hands, but none of us would be here without the two of you, so first and foremost, this one is for you.”
He lifted his drink higher, and Otto, Cash, Theo, and I each lifted ours and clinked our glasses together as we said, “To our brothers, Trent and Jud.”
Both of them dipped their heads.
“It’s always been an honor to stand at your sides,” Trent said.
“Yeah,” Jud agreed. “We always have, and we always will, so anything you need, if there is any way we can ever help, you know we’re there.”
Trent and Jud had overcome a ton of shit in their lives. Their past mistakes and sins nearly ending their chance at a good life. But they’d both triumphed over their tragedies and iniquities, fought for the good.
“We appreciate that more than you both will ever know,” I said, “but we’ll do our damned best to make sure we don’t come dragging you two into any of our bullshit.”
Jud shook his head with a massive grin. “Nah, no hesitation on our part. You need us, we’re there.”
“Yup. Just say the word,” Trent added.
“Thanks,” I said, and I could feel the intensity of my crew’s eyes shifting to me. Jud and Trent must have picked up on it because they both slid out of the booth. “Think we’re going to get a closer view of our women.”
Kane gave them a nod, and in an instant, the mood changed. Each of my brothers stared me down like they might not recognize me any longer.
Got it because I barely recognized myself.
“Think we should take this downstairs,” Kane said, and everyone nodded, slipping out of the booth and snagging our drinks. We followed Kane through the door that reademployees onlyand down the hall to his office. He shut and locked the door behind us then moved to the secret panel.
When he opened the passageway, we all wound down to the room below.
Normally, I was the one in charge. The one calling meetings to order. But I had a hunch tonight that was getting flipped on me.
We all sat around the round table, and I fuckin’ itched while they stared at me like I might be on trial. Finally, it was Kane cutting me what appeared an accusatory smile that broke into the dense quiet. “She seems to be something more than a fuck, yeah?”
There wasn’t a whole lot of anger behind it, just steely speculation.
My chest tightened, an arrow of protectiveness spearing through the middle. “Guess so.”
Issuing the response that way felt like some kind of betrayal. But I still didn’t know how to handle this. What the fuck to say.
I knew I was in the wrong. Knew I was in over my head. I just didn’t know how to stop it.
I pressed my fingers to the achy spot in the middle of my chest, a reminder that I didn’t want to.
